Cities, health, and equity

Today, 55 percent of the global population - over four billion people - live in urban settings. By 2050, this number will rise to nearly 70 percent, with almost 90 percent of urban growth occurring on the Asian and African continents and in lower-income countries. This chapter considers the chief benefits for, but also structural limitations and threats to health associated with living in urban metropolises. Particular risk factors arise in connection with population density, heat islands effects, pollution, limited green space , and stationary work. Resulting health threats include both infectious and non-communicable diseases, as well as mental health and cognitive risks. The chapter concludes with a perspective on the rising urban equity crisis manifest in discrimination patterns and inequality in access to fair standards of housing. Recognising cities’ socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental heterogeneity is a critical factor in developing responses to urban development challenges and achievement of SDGs in urban contexts.